Nuannaarpoq: “taking extravagant pleasure in being alive”

I had the pleasure of meeting another 2017 ASBC Champion from Alaska, Keith Nyitray, as a part of the @SCORE and @SamsClub #BizChampion meeting who shared this beautiful Inuit word with me and reminded me about true joy and bliss in life. He reminded me to enjoy life’s pleasures and to never stray away from my core values, no matter how much success or opportunity I achieve in my business.

What a great opportunity to have this time together and for me to be able to reflect on my "WHY" both personally and professionally to make sure that the work I am doing and the choices I am making bring me joy, purpose and fulfillment. As an entrepreneur, especially "fresh" into this world, it is easy to get overwhelmed with business plans, spreadsheets, finances, etc - your head forced down into a hole of development, survival and the hope for success. But the problem is, we often lose site of the reasons that we decided to do what we are doing or the people who have and continue to support us in all we are. We forget that a business or a job/career is a piece of us but not all of us and can become so tunnel visioned we forget to work on all of the other aspects that bring us joy. I know this is something that will continue to be a challenge for me, especially as someone who lives with anxiety, as I am always being pulled onto the hamster wheel of "what ifs", spinning round and round and worrying about all I have to do to stay afloat - have I properly used social media? Do I have new content for people to engage with? How am I monetizing the goods and services i provide? Am I surviving or thriving in my business? What if I miss out on an opportunity or lose customers by not posting regularly or showing up to this networking event? But the truth is, I have already achieved so much - I took the leap and started a business. I am a public speaker. I get to work with people throughout my community and provide them free resources and opportunities to engage with each other. The work I am doing has given people the opportunity to get to know themselves more and give them a launching point to pursue their truths more easily (and usually a bit more prepared). My "WHY" never involved spreadsheets or financial gain or social media followers. My "WHY" was about helping create a ripple effect with the power to change the world. It is about connecting on a deeper and more intimate level with others, creating a safety for each of us to live as our authentic and real selves. My "WHY" is the driving force for me personally and professionally and I think as long as I can stop and truly enjoy and take in the pleasure of being able to have those deeply raw and authentic moments every day, I will find peace.

How are you living a life in line with your values? What is your "WHY" and how are you finding that show up in your day to day life? How are you taking time to enjoy the pleasure of being alive? And most especially, what do you need to let go of in your life to allow you to stay grounded in that?